Bought for Ten Thousand Pounds!
Ex-soldier Frederick Challenger may own a share of London's most secret gentlemen's club, but he has long since stopped sampling its delights…until a beautiful woman auctions her innocence.
Georgiana Knight's plan had been to lure in a villain, but instead she's trapped the devil himself. And now, to protect her reputation, she must marry him! But if Frederick has hopes of taming this temptress, he'll have to think again…
Good book. Georgiana is a young woman trapped in a no-win situation. She doesn't get along with her stepmother, who wants her married off and out of the house. Unfortunately, her only suitor is a relative of her stepmother's, one who hides an unsavory reputation under a veneer of respectability. George thinks that her only option is to get the proof of Nash's activities and denounce him to her father. She comes up with a plan to sneak into a gentlemen's club and use herself as bait to catch him. Instead, she is caught by one of the owners, and to save her reputation has to marry him.
Fred and his friends started the club after they were done with university as a way to indulge their wild behavior. It was great when they were younger, but Fred saw a different side of life during the war and the debaucheries of the club no longer appeal. When he spotted George in the club and saw who was after her, he had to intervene. He did not realize who he'd rescued until she was unmasked.
Fred and George have a history, and not a pleasant one. She had run afoul of him when her stepmother was overheard commenting on his suitability as a mate. He has made her disdain for her plain ever since, even though she hadn't done anything herself. Also, her stepmother's constant criticism has sometimes caused her to rebel in ways that can be seen as inappropriate, further irritating Fred. Neither was at all happy to be forced into marriage, and agree to a marriage in name only and living separate lives. George looks forward to the freedom allowed a married woman and isn't at all happy when Fred lays down a long list of rules for her to follow to avoid any hint of scandal. George isn't about to go from one prison to another.
I will say that it took me a little while to warm up to both George and Fred. I thought George was a bit too headstrong, which didn't mix well with her naiveté. She didn't think through to the problems that could arise from her plan to stop Sir Nash. While I understood her problems with her stepmother, who was a real witch of a woman, there were times George might have been smarter just to play along. However, by the time the wedding came, I was looking forward to seeing what kind of havoc she would inflict on Fred to get him to loosen up. Fred gave the initial impression of being a snob and a prig, which seemed incongruous with his profession as the owner of a scandalous gentlemen's club. His attitude became more understandable when his family circumstances are explained. Though in his early life he reacted to their scandalous behavior by trying to outdo them, after the war he changed his life around in an attempt to provide a better example for his younger siblings. Unfortunately, he goes overboard and makes life miserable for himself and those around him.
After the wedding, the fun really picked up. Fred is determined to keep George under control and she is equally determined to be herself. Under it all is a chemistry that neither can deny, but don't want to admit. George is spirited but doesn't purposely go against Fred's wishes. She just wants him to realize that she isn't the immature child he thinks she is. She was a little nervous about the shopping trip with her sister-in-law, but the woman is family, so she thought it would be fine. Fred's reaction to her dress and his actions at the ball that night made her feel wonderful. His fury over the source of the dress was excessive considering those actions. I loved his confusion at her willingness to leave London, since he thought it was a punishment and she was looking forward to it. I enjoyed seeing Fred's battle with himself as he tried to reconcile his attraction and fascination with her and his certainty that she was a disaster waiting to happen. I loved seeing the attraction between them build and enjoyed when they finally gave in to it. The closeness brought on by their physical connection also gives them a chance to get to know and understand each other better. George finds herself wanting a real marriage and feels that they are well on the way to having that. However, Fred is still haunted by his fears and makes a decision that drives George away. I ached for her and how her attempt to be fully a part of Fred's life instead broke her heart. I liked her inner strength as she dealt with her pain. I loved the scene on Bond Street and the eye-opening effect it had on Fred. His big moment at the end was funny, sweet and hopeful for a new beginning.
I liked meeting the other partners in the club also, and look forward to their stories. I liked their support of Fred at his wedding, even though they questioned what he was doing. I loved Oliver's chat with Fred a few days later, the change in his feelings about the marriage and what brought it about. It had me laughing out loud, especially Fred's reaction. I also liked Jake. He seems to be as haunted as Fred. I liked how he tried to make Fred see that George was what he needed to bring him back to life. I was intrigued by their comments about their other partner, the missing and possibly dead Nick. I suspect that we will be learning more about him as the series goes on.
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